Type doesn’t define VWD symptoms

Speakers: Riitta Lassilla, Hannah Yarnall

Riitta Lassila, MD, PhD is Professor of Coagulation Medicine in the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine. She founded the Coagulation Disorders Unit to the Helsinki University Central Hospital in 2000. She is also co-founder and CSO of Aplagon ltd, a drug development company based in Helsinki.

Prof. Lassila is engaged with clinical and translational studies, including outcome biomarkers and new treatment modalities of Coagulation disorders. She is the former chair of the Nordic Haemophilia Council, the Finnish Society of Angiology, and the current Chair of the Finnish Blood Diseases Research Foundation. Riitta has served as secretary of the executive board of European Association of Haemophilia and Allied Disorders, EAHAD and EUHASS, the safety surveillance system of EAHAD. She has consulted EMA, FiMEA, Finnish Medicolegal affairs in Valvira, Institute of Health and Welfare in Finland (THL) and World Health Organisation (WHO). She has served as an associate editor in Thrombosis Research, and she is currently an associate editor for Journal of Thrombosis Haemostasis. Riitta is nominated to be the clinical chair of ISTH Annual meeting in 2025. Riitta has authored over 350 articles in scientific peer-review journals.

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Hannah Yarnall, living with Type 2 Von Willebrand's disorder, is a passionate advocate affiliated with The Haemophilia Society UK. Beginning as a Youth Ambassador in 2015, she now proudly serves as a UK VWD ambassador. Hannah is dedicated to raising awareness about personalized VWD care and treatment, advocating for increased youth involvement and improved healthcare for women.